There is a continuing competitive requirement to bring about improvements in hair care products and to provide them with additional advantageous properties. In particular, there is a competitive need to provide a conditioning complex that can ideally also be used in conjunction with oxidizing agents and surfactant agents.
Environmental influences and oxidative hair treatments often lead to impaired combability of both dry and wet hair. Furthermore, gloss and moisture balance are deleteriously affected by the attacked external structure of the keratinic fibers. A further consequence of repeated treatment of keratinic fibers with surfactant and/or oxidative agents is a return of severe greasiness to the keratinic fibers and a strong tendency towards increased dandruff formation.
It is therefore desirable to reduce the side-effects of environmental influences and of oxidative and surfactant hair treatments preferably not only as early as during the oxidative or surfactant hair treatment but also after the oxidative or surfactant hair treatment without impairing the effectiveness of the oxidative or surfactant cosmetic preparation, in particular with regard to color intensity, color fastness, lightening performance or permanent-wave action, and of preventing the keratinic fibers from becoming greasy again and increased dandruff formation. It is also desirable to combine in one application step, in the form of a 2-in-1 product, the oxidative treatment of keratin-containing fibers, in particular human hair, with the application of effective fiber protection from environmental influences, for example UV protection.
Fatty acid amides are chemical compounds which are known in principle and are likewise already used as ingredients in hair care products. Hydroxycarboxylic acids are likewise known in hair treatment agents. They are often used for establishing the required pH. These known compositions are, however, incapable of satisfactorily accomplishing the above objectives and solving the problems set forth above.
Desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.